Get Rid of Fungus Gnats

You don’t have to cohabitate with these tiny pests

Gnats are bothersome : They quietly fell around , often just a few inch from your face , daring you to catch them . As a plant life lover , however , the fungus gnat may be the most irritating pest of all . Though harmless to man , fungus gnat can multiply rapidly inindoor plants , laying their larvae in the top layer ofpotting mix .

These pesky gnats can be convey indoors from outside plants duringoverwintering . More often than not , however , they are enrapture into your abode by infected plants picked up at the nursery or garden center . They love to hide inoverly moist soilfull of decaying plant matter . Once they are introduced into one plant , they easily make their house in other nearby plants , their larvae happily look parturition in the first inch or so of soil . Larvae primarily survive offfungifound in the land but may also feed on tooth root hairs . As the adult lay their eggs and multiply , the infestation continues to grow .

Rest assured , however , that you could get rid of fungus gnats without get to trash all of your plant . If the infestation is Modern , allow the soil of infected plants dry out whole , which kills the larvae . If the plague is beginning to rise , however , you ’ll need to take more serious action . You could catch the adult fungus gnats using unenviable composition , but that will not eliminate the larva wait to dream up . I ’ve found a plebeian , dependable two - step home remedy ( below ) that cure the total job . You ’ll need Baroness Dudevant ; several small saucer ; and a dainty , fruity potable — for the bugs , not you .

2 Steps to Gnat-Free

Step 1: Make the sand trap

Collect all infected houseplants , and hit the top 2 inch of pot mix to dispose of the larvae already laid . Discard the soil immediately , and replace this top layer with sand , which is free of constitutional issue and dries out quickly — an unappealing medium for fungus - gnat eggs . countenance the territory below dry out out entirely before the next lachrymation . This should obviate all fungus - gnat larvae present and prevent unexampled eggs from being laid .

Step 2: Set up the open bar

Adult fungus gnat are easy to lure and drown using any fresh liquid that smells of decay . A prissy $ 2 feeding bottle of alcohol - costless wine from Trader Joe ’s is one of the practiced and cheapest fungus - gnat baits I ’ve found . Pour the liquidity into a small saucer , and place it near a previously infected plant ( or by all taint works if the plague is already rearing ) . If you allow it sit down overnight , then you should awake to a disturbingly satisfying aggregation of all in fungus gnat float in the liquid state . Discard and fill again the saucers until the grownup gnat no longer appear .

Photos : Steven Cominsky

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